Klarity

With a summer break of around four and a half months, I decided that I needed something fun to keep myself occupied. While it was something I had never given much of a thought before, I supposed it would be interesting to learn how to cook and bake. I loved watching everyone cook on TikTok so I figured, why not try it myself? I started simple with a recipe I found online. They were Panera candy cookie dupes that I thought would be perfect for Easter. I followed every direction step by step, making sure everything I did was exactly as the instructions called for. When they were finally done, they were beautiful, exactly what I hoping for. I did have a cold at the time so unfortunately I couldn’t taste them very well, but my family said that they were lovely. 

After that, I continued to make a multitude of different cookie recipes that came out better and better each batch. Two of my favorites were the red velvet and chocolate peanut butter creations. I was then asked to make these for every family gathering. I also loved making batches big enough that I was able to bring some to my friends when I would visit them. They were always a hit. 

Eventually, though, I did get tired of making just cookies and chose to start preparing actual meals. I had been watching videos of people cooking the viral “steak on a cutting board” and had begun to crave it. I went to the grocery store and carefully picked out all of my ingredients. I was even able to convince my mom that our kitchen was desperately in need of a wooden cutting board. To my surprise, I didn’t completely fail at cooking it myself. While it was slightly well-done, it was fairly flavorful considering it had the texture of rubber. Still, I was happy with what I had made, and a few attempts later, I had created an almost perfect steak. Plated along with fresh guacamole and fried eggs, this became one of my favorite meals to make. 

Now, I cook for myself and my friends almost every day. I even run an Instagram account, along with my boyfriend, dedicated to the food we cook and occasionally restaurants we eat at. I love to share my what I make with my followers, so for whoever is interested, the Instagram handle is @znkfattytime. Just a warning, it can be a little silly sometimes!

I have also enjoyed forming my own recipes. While they are still fairly simple, I hope to eventually learn how to create a recipe for anything I want. So far, I have created my own chicken wrap that pairs nicely with a sweet chipotle mayo sauce, which I have been working on for some time. I also recently made a sandwich I believe was delicious enough to sell in a restaurant. 

I look forward to moving into my college apartment next semester and having a kitchen where I can carry on with my cooking journey. It will be exciting to work on my own recipes while also continuing to follow more advanced ones that I discover online.  I hope to even have little dinner parties with friends where I can cook for them. What started as a way to pass time turned into something I genuinely love.